State tightens quarantine rule amid case increases

The late-afternoon sun lingers in the hills, as seen from Route 12 in Woodstock on Saturday. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Vermont now requires a quarantine for all non-essential travel into the state, following news of increasing COVID-19 cases in the state, region and country.

Travelers into Vermont for non-essential reasons, including Vermonters returning home, must quarantine for 14 days or for seven days with a negative COVID-19 test. Essential trips are allowed, which include travel to attend preK-12 school and college if commuting daily, or for work, personal safety, medical care, care of others, parental shared custody, or for food, beverage or medicine.
Gov. Phil Scott announced the immediate change on Tuesday. The state will also increase compliance checks for public health guidance and move to expand testing.

"Though we’re not seeing the alarming growth many of our neighbors are seeing, we have to take action to ensure we don’t get to that point," Scott said in a statement. "I want to be very clear that much of our case growth is tied to two factors: Vermonters traveling out of state and Vermonters gathering in ways where distancing and masking break down. We need to act now to protect the vulnerable and to keep our schools and economy open."

As of Tuesday, the state's COVID-19 data modeling showed a 34% increase in cases in the Northeast since last week and cases are averaging 112,500 per day nationally. While Vermont continues to have the lowest positivity rate in the country, that doesn't tell the whole story. Vermont cases rose 46% this week, officials said, and hospitalizations are also rising in the Green Mountains. Over the weekend, Vermont reported its first COVID-19 death since July.

On Tuesday, Vermonters were also urged to comply with a recent advisory limiting all private social gatherings to 10 people. On the same day, Vermont saw 46 new cases of COVID-19 and was monitoring 20 separate outbreaks. Officials called for people to comply with public health guidance, including masking and social distancing.

"I cannot say this enough: To stop the spread, to protect each other, we need to act now," said Dr. Mark Levine, Vermont's health commissioner, in the announcement. "We are on the threshold — the decisions we make today will truly determine our future."

Also on Tuesday, the state temporarily suspended its cross-state travel map, as the number of counties eligible for quarantine-free travel has dropped to only two.

On or about Nov. 12, the state will implement random, plain-clothes compliance checks for public health protocols at lodging establishments and other locations where people congregate, with a focus on indoor settings, according to state officials. If substantial noncompliance is found and a location resists educational efforts, such a case may be referred to the Vermont Attorney General's office.

Starting next week, the Department of Public Safety will also distribute COVID-19 safety cards during traffic stops to help inform drivers of the travel policy and other safety protocols. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is conducting outreach to hunters to ensure they understand the updated travel policy and gathering advisory.

The governor also announced the state is expanding its testing program, entering a contract with CIC Health of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and developing a plan to offer testing every day of the week at locations throughout the state. It will also increase surveillance testing, which tests asymptomatic populations to find the virus in the community more quickly, officials said. To establish a baseline, during the week of November 16, the State will offer testing to K-12 teachers and staff. These tests will be voluntary. Following Thanksgiving break, there will be a regular rotating schedule, offering testing to teachers and staff in one-quarter of Vermont schools each week, so every teacher and staff member will be offered testing once per month.

The focus on schools will help identify cases — particularly cases that never develop symptoms — thereby helping to reduce the risk of clusters or outbreaks and supporting efforts to sustain and expand in-person learning for students, according to state officials. The process will use the more reliable PCR tests. School personnel who are waiting for surveillance testing results will not need to quarantine.

In his Tuesday statement, the governor sympathized with Vermonters.

“With the success we’ve had over the last few months, I know it is disappointing to hear about new restrictions,” Scott said. “But by acting early and doubling down on the work that made us so successful in the first place, I know we can get this under control, hold onto the gains we’ve made, and continue to be in a better position to get through this faster and stronger than any other state.”

— Gareth Henderson